Weeping Shadow

The Vengeful Ratfolk Spirit

In life, Syla was a young mother of the Aethelgard Warren, known more for the brightness of her family’s nest than for any grand magic or political standing. That life ended during the Tissian "Consolidation," when a merchant-warship under the Vell banner anchored in the bay to "indenture" the local population. While the Tissian soldiers were busy categorizing her children as "Company Assets" and loading them into the damp holds of their galleon, something in Syla snapped.

She did not flee into the deep woods. Instead, she waited in the salt-spray shadows of the cliffs as the Tissian Captain, a man named Lord-Commander Hallowell, made his final inspection of the shore. Syla did not use a master's spell or a warrior’s blade; she used a jagged piece of ship-ballast and the sheer, desperate fury of a mother who has nothing left to lose. Before the Tissian guards could react, Hallowell lay dead in the tide, his throat crushed by the very stone of the island he sought to claim.

Driven by a fit of absolute despair and a rage that burned hotter than alchemical fire, Syla fled to the highest point of the Aethelgard crags. With the screams of her children still echoing from the departing ships, she threw herself into the churning surf below.

The sea, however, did not take her.

Syla returned as The Weeping Shadow, a spectral entity tethered to the cliffs and the surrounding forest. She does not haunt a portal or a throne; she haunts the memory of loss. She is the reason the Tissian sailors fear the "low mist" that rolls off the rocks. 

When she appears, she is often seen clutching a tattered, spirit-bound bundle of rags to her chest—a Familiar that mimics the weight of a child. She speaks in the Grave Tongue, a series of hollow, chittering sobs that can induce a Hex of pure lethargy in those she targets. She does not differentiate between the Tissian oppressors and the new refugees; to her, any ship in the harbor is a vessel of kidnapping, and any contract held in a hand is a shackle that must be broken by death.

---

Culture:  Undead (formerly Ratfolk)

Class: Monster

APR:  1

Hit Points: 10

Attack: Cold touch. If the Weeping Shadow touches you with a weapon or hand you take 1 damage piercing.

Spectral Form: While in the haunted forest the Weeping Shadow takes a corporeal form and can be harmed by weapons. It has been known to roam the island though, so when in other locations it is as a ghost and cannot be harmed by any weapon or magic, although those with the skill can communicate with it.

The Weight of Despair: The air around Syla is heavy with a supernatural, salt-chilled dampness. Any player within 5 paces of the Weeping Shadow feels an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. This reduces Damage, HP, and APR by -1 for every character in the party encountering her (the penalty is double for elves, since they feels dispair more keenly). She does not have a point to make this work. It is always on and is unlimited. Characters immune to Fear are immune to this effect.

Maternal Reclaim: The Weeping Shadow points at a player's weapon, shield, or even a small companion/familiar, seeing it as one of her lost children. The NPC player calls out the target item. The targeted item is pulled from the player's hand by spectral force and is pulled away. In game terms this means that the affected player must take the targeted item or familiar 5 paces away “to safety” and leave it, then may return to the encounter. Any combat will be ON HOLD while this takes place and while the Weeping Shadow player calls this out. Players that are immune to Fae Charm are also immune to this ability.

Brine-Lung Curse: Syla exhales a cloud of ghostly, freezing sea mist. This uses a White Spell Packet. If it strikes a target, they begin to "drown" on dry land. The player must drop to one knee and cannot speak or call out abilities for 30 seconds as they cough up spectral saltwater. But no damage was done. This ability can be used by The Weeping Shadow three times per encounter and automatically renews between encounters. The Weeping Shadow player will call out "lung curse" when using this power and throwing that packet.

The Tissian Grudge: If there are any players or NPCs of the Tiss culture in the encountering party The Weeping Shadow gains a +2 to APR and +5 HP, but must focus all attacks on the Tiss player or NPC.

Cliff-Side Step: As a spirit of the crags, Syla is not bound by the terrain. She can Water Walk or "glide" across river obstacles and across the water of the harbor. In the forest, she can "merge" into one tree and reappear from another 10 paces away. If the Weeping Shadow player uses this ability all combat will go ON HOLD while that player changes location.